22 Aug 2021 12:46:39
Bielsa is either a very stubborn, or loyal Manager depending on your perspective which is why he stands by Coops time and time again, possibly for his leadership qualities although we were all expecting Koch/ Llorente and now Struick to be out first choice CB pairing.

Mind you DCL was certainly up for the game and was a menace for any CB on yesterday’s display.

Whilst the penalty was Coops error for being wrong side, he is a player along with Roberts who has to impress us all the most. However, agree this has to be Roberts breakthrough season as there probably should not be another given the number of chances he has had, frustrating though as he clearly has skills

Hope Forshaw rehab continues a pace he could be an unexpected bonus for us this season.

Biggest worry for myself yesterday was Luke defensively probably because of his consistency (same with Dallas) bad games often go under the radar, seldom highlighted.

Cody Drameh must be extremely close in terms of ability now, hopefully Cody will play against Crewe on Tuesday.

1.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 13:38:04
Good post Class.

2.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 13:40:00
I believe Ayling is a bigger liability than Cooper although there’s no denying Coops was at fault for their opener .
In fairness to Liam their big forward is a handful to all centre backs. Bill was roasted a few times yesterday and offered little going forward. Onwards and upwards though.

3.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 13:41:22
Didnt think it a penalty.

4.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 14:27:36
I think it has been a long held belief that loyalty/ stubborness is Bielsas major fault. Not just with Cooper but his repeat of going to Roberts and Costa when we are down. You could argue that at least you know what you are getting with them but that, unfortunately is, not very much and they give it every game. How long does it take for the message to sink home. Especially when he has comparable back up waiting
Cooper - Cresswell, Koch
Roberts - Greenwood Gelhardt (Bate)
Costa - Sumerville, (Miller)
I know some may say, too young but it's for 20mins/ half an hour and "if your good enough. "
I still love the big man though. Nobodys perfect.

5.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 14:40:41
Do you get to watch much of the lads training Leodis?
And who said those young players are good enough yet?
Not long back people where saying play the big CF who went on to Aberdeen on loan and then somewhere else which I can’t remember. My point basically is that just because a player is doing well in the u23s doesn’t mean he’s good enough for the first team.

6.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 14:54:40
IF YOU NEVER TRY THE YOUNG LADS, HOW THE HELL WOULD ANYONE KNOW IF THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH. HOW OLD WAS WAYNE ROONEY AT EVERTON?

7.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 15:48:19
Bielsa knows when a player is ready I think. Trust the boss.

8.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 15:56:27
I agree with all of you, Bielsa usually takes too long to change a starting player that must leave due to poor performance.

In his favor, we have the case of Patrick Bamford, who in the championship many asked for his head, or Luke Ayling, who in Bielsa's first year seemed that he did not even know how to pass the ball, but by continue betting on them, today they are two players who improved their performance in an amazing way.

I understand that he understands, that for a player's performance to improve has to have two things: (1) confidence and (2) continuity, and if you take a player out on a bad day, you are coting out all the possibilities to improve his level, and the cost on that investment is to endure poor performance today.

(in fact, it is more likely that he will take a player out because he finds him lost, out of the game or running little, than because of poor performance or mistakes, let's remember how long it took for him to take out of the team to Casilla, when any other manager, as soon as you make two mistakes, clears you from the team. )

Cooper's and Aylin cases are a little bit different they are captain and sub-captain, from what I understand, and in Bielsa's teams, the captain is chosen by the players. I mean, it doesn't mean that he can get it out of him, but it costs much more because they are the players that the team chooses to lead them.

But yeah, let's say he is more concerned with future potential performance than present performance, and that's why it's hard and stressful to see how a player is not doing well on the pitch when there is someone who could do better who sitting on the bench.

9.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 16:01:31
Good retort HIB. You can also learn on the job.

10.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 16:08:59
To an extent you are right Mab but how many points do you need to lose before you cocede defeat 3? 6? 9? but, at the end of the day he is the manager of my Leeds United and as such I will abide by his decision, I may not like it but I will abide by it.

11.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 16:31:57
Leodis, I don't know. Everything I write is what I think he thinks, if it is my decision, if a player gives one bad pass, he is out of the game, and if he gives two bad passes, I would cancel his contract (but luckily for everyone, it is not my decision) .

But putting myself back in his head, he would answer you: it is not a guarantee that if a player is doing poorly on the pitch, the one who enters will do better, it's just a bet. In fact, he has already initially put who he thinks he will do best.

Also, he first will tend to understand the mistake from a tactical point of view, before falling into the change of players.

On the other hand, his priority is to improve the performance of what he has, that is why he needs to have a lot of patience. We do not have the Citi or Chelsea wallet that if a player does it badly, we buy one that does it better, and resolved the problem.

And taking a player out because he made a couple of mistakes, creates an environment of a lot of nervousness, restlessness and insecurity in a team, remember that these players are asked to watch hundreds of hours of videos weekly and run and work hours and hours a day, like if your life depends on it.